Music leaders, show us your song list - NEW!!

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The hymn that has to remind me the most of Christmas (second to “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”), would have to be “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”, especially when played on the organ. It’s such a grand hymn and reminds me so much of Christmas coming on it’s way.
 
itsmaura said:
Question: Do you utilize organ AND piano both in the same mass for different songs? Or do you stick to just organ, or just piano? And if you use both in the same mass, how do your parishioners react to that? Does it flow with the feel of the mass?

What I am getting down to is this: is the concert organ and sacred advent hyms like On Jordan’s Bank still very popular in your church or do you think Catholic Churches are favoring keyboards and guitars over all? At my church, parishioners seem to favor more contemporary music like Come Lord Jesus and Ready the Way, but there are still old sacred hyms for Advent in the Breaking Bread that geared for organ and not on piano.
What are your thoughts? Sacred organ or contemporary keyboard?
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If you look at the piano score for Ready the way it actually says ‘organ’. It must have been how Bob Hurd had envisioned it. I tried it on organ and my choir did not like it as much as with piano/guitar/violins. The only problem with using organ is that it pretty much overpowers any other instrument. So combining a guitar or piano with an organ just sounds bad. The old Church documents really hold the organ in high esteem but I think you are right; the people just prefer a softer sounding, more contemporary accompaniment. My feeling is that as long as the message of the text is appropriate and gets through the music it does not matter which type you use. There is one particular song that I use organ on during Advent that sounds great. That is ‘Advent wreath Service’ by John Schiavone. It has been around for many many years. We use it for the Kyrie during Advent. It brings back the traditional organ sound that the Church documents recommend quite nicely.
Peace,
Terry
 
Parts of the Mass
Kyrie G2#202 A Community Mass
Glory to God omitted
Gospel Accl. GP #110 Advent/Christmas Gospel Acclamation
Holy G2 #167 Missa Emmanuel
Mem. Accl. G2 #168 Missa Emmanuel
Great Amen G2 #169 Missa Emmanuel
Lamb of God G2 #170 Missa Emmanuel
Notes G2=Gather 2nd Ed.; SS1=Spirit & Song 1; SS2=Spirit & Song 2; H=handout; GP=Glory & Praise

Date: 12/12 – 3rd Sunday of Advent
Entrance G2#338 Advent Gathering Song
Responsorial R&A Psalm 146: Lord, come and save us.
Off/Prep 304 Jesus, Come to Us
Communion 1 H Jesus, Hope of the World
Sending Forth 300 People, Look East
Notes
 
3rd Sunday of Advent:
Ready the way vss 3 & 4
response: Lord, come and save us from Gather
Offertory: Maranatha II
communion: To You, O Lord (Bob Hurd) and Patience, people
Closing: Soon and very soon

Christmas Eve:
O come all ye faithful
Forever I will sing from Gather
Oh Holy night
Child of the poor/What Child is this? and Night of silence/Silent night
Joy to the world

Have a wonderful Christmas season, everyone!
Peace,
Terry
 
"itsmaura:
Do you utilize organ AND piano both in the same mass for different songs? Or do you stick to just organ, or just piano? And if you use both in the same mass, how do your parishioners react to that? Does it flow with the feel of the mass?
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I most definately use both instruments. I use the piano mostly at a more solemn part of the Mass, basically Responsorial Psalm, Offertory, and Communion. Once in a while I will use the piano for other parts, but it usually depends on the arrangement of the music. My general rule of thumb: if it sounds better on piano, PLAY IT ON PIANO.
hosea said:
The only problem with using organ is that it pretty much overpowers any other instrument. So combining a guitar or piano with an organ just sounds bad. The old Church documents really hold the organ in high esteem but I think you are right; the people just prefer a softer sounding, more contemporary accompaniment.
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If you use a softer registration, it is perfectly fine. For example, I had a fairly large group of instrumentalists at Easter last year, and the only parts of the Mass that had full registrations were the Opening/Closing hymns, Gloria, Alleluia, and Eucharistic Prayer. Other than that, it was a very soft registration and low volume as to not over-power. Something I picked up from a friend of mine who has been in music for over 30 years.

That said, when I do use the organ for Offertory or Communion, I normally don’t use anything more than one 2’ flute, usually just a couple foundation stops, and two or three 4’ stops with Celeste Tuning work very nicely 🙂
 
pianomany2k said:
I most definately use both instruments. I use the piano mostly at a more solemn part of the Mass, basically Responsorial Psalm, Offertory, and Communion. Once in a while I will use the piano for other parts, but it usually depends on the arrangement of the music. My general rule of thumb: if it sounds better on piano, PLAY IT ON PIANO.

If you use a softer registration, it is perfectly fine. For example, I had a fairly large group of instrumentalists at Easter last year, and the only parts of the Mass that had full registrations were the Opening/Closing hymns, Gloria, Alleluia, and Eucharistic Prayer. Other than that, it was a very soft registration and low volume as to not over-power. Something I picked up from a friend of mine who has been in music for over 30 years.

That said, when I do use the organ for Offertory or Communion, I normally don’t use anything more than one 2’ flute, usually just a couple foundation stops, and two or three 4’ stops with Celeste Tuning work very nicely 🙂
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Sounds like you really know your stuff. I have to admit a well-played organ truly brings back the majesty of the early Church. Thank you for continuing the tradition.
peace.
 
Suggestions for next weekend:

Sunday, December 19, 2010 - Fourth Sunday of Advent - Year A

Processional Hymn: #36 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL
Preparation of the Gifts: #65 See How the Virgin Waits Slovak Folk Melody
Communion Hymn: #51 Wake, O Wake, and Sleep No Longer WACHET AUF
Recessional Hymn: #74 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates TRURO

This is what my music director has:

Processional Hymn: #51 Wake O Wake, and Sleep No Longer WACHET AUF
Preparation of the Gifts: #720 Mary, Woman of the Promise DRAKES BROUGHTON
Communion Hymn: #36 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL
Recessional Hymn: #65 See How the Virgin Waits Slovak Folk Melody
 
December 11/12, 2010 3rd Sunday of Advent

Opening: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (#190 CCH)
Preparation: Wait For The Lord (#199 CCH) - This is the second week for this song, for learning purposes
Eucharist Prayer: Composite Setting (People’s Mass Sanctus, Danish Amen)
Communion: The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns (#193 CCH) - again, for learning purposes, third week
Closing: Soon And Very Soon (#409 CCH)

Older congregations don’t usually pick up on new music very quickly, so repetitiveness (if that’s a word) is a good thing. Especially when it is a seasonal song(s) like Advent or Lent that are only sung once or twice a year.
 
Well, this week at my parish we are singing “Every Valley” by John Foley. It’s fun listening to everyone in verses one and three drop out when the double - triple high E’s come out. 😃
 
Suggestions for the coming week:

Friday, December 24, 2010 - The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas): Vigil - Year A

Processional Hymn: #78 O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES
Preparation of the Gifts: #94 O Little Town of Bethlehem ST. LOUIS
Communion Hymn: #93 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly W ZLOBIE LEZY
Hymn of Meditation: #88 Silent Night, Holy Night STILLE NACHT
Recessional Hymn: #79 Joy to the World ANTIOCH

Saturday, December 25, 2010 - The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas): Mass at Midnight - Year A

Processional Hymn: #78 O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES
Preparation of the Gifts: #90 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear CAROL
Communion Hymn: #93 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly W ZLOBIE LEZY
Hymn of Meditation: #88 Silent Night, Holy Night STILLE NACHT
Recessional Hymn: #79 Joy to the World ANTIOCH

Saturday, December 25, 2010 - The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas): Mass at Dawn/Mass During the Day - Year A

Processional Hymn: #78 O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES
Preparation of the Gifts: #94 O Little Town of Bethlehem ST. LOUIS
Communion Hymn: #93 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly W ZLOBIE LEZY
Hymn of Meditation: #88 Silent Night, Holy Night STILLE NACHT
Recessional Hymn: #79 Joy to the World ANTIOCH

Sunday, December 26, 2010 - Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - Year A

Processional Hymn: #81 Angels, We Have Heard on High GLORIA
Preparation of the Gifts: #95 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice IN DULCI JUBILO
Communion Hymn: #96 The Snow Lay on the Ground VENITE ADOREMUS
Recessional Hymn: #79 Joy to the World ANTIOCH
 
Suggestions for the coming week:

Saturday, January 1, 2011 - Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God - Year A

Processional Hymn: #81 Angels, We Have Heard on High GLORIA
Preparation of the Gifts: #715 Sing of Mary PLEADING SAVIOR
Communion Hymn: #98 Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming ES IST EIN’ ROS’ ENTSPRUNGEN
Recessional Hymn: #82 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHN

Sunday, January 2, 2011 - Epiphany of the Lord - Year A

Processional Hymn: #82 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHN
Preparation of the Gifts: #103 We Three Kings KINGS OF ORIENT
Communion Hymn: #102 The First Noel THE FIRST NOWELL
Recessional Hymn; #107 As With Gladness Men of Old DIX

This is what my music director has for 1/2:

Processional Hymn: #82 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHN
Preparation of the Gifts: #103 We Three Kings KINGS OF ORIENT
Communion Hymn: #109 What Star is This PUER NOBIS
Recessional Hymn: #107 As With Gladness Men of Old DIX
 
26 Dec 2010, 10:45 Comtemporary Choir

Entrance 671 Glory and Praise to Our God
Gloria: Mass of Light
Responsorial 273 Psalm 128: O blessed are those who fear the Lord …
Gospel Accl. H Christmastime Alleluia (Chepponis)
Off/Prep 334 The First Nowell
Mass parts Mass of Redemption
Communion 1 321 Away in a Manger
Communion 2 H Joseph’s Lullaby
Sending Forth 316 God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
 
Our choir sang “Christ Be Our Light” for communion at Mass this morning. The orginal plan was for us to sing Away In A Manger, but instead O Little Town of Bethlehem was dropped and we sang Away In A Manger for Offeretory. Reason was it was thought to be too short.
 
Justin1224 said:
Our choir sang “Christ Be Our Light” for communion at Mass this morning. The orginal plan was for us to sing Away In A Manger, but instead O Little Town of Bethlehem was dropped and we sang Away In A Manger for Offeretory. Reason was it was thought to be too short.
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“Away in a Manger” is a little short for a Communion hymn, but “O Little Town of Bethlehem” is a good pick for Communion. After all Bethlehem means “House of Bread”. Our parish sang it for Communion today.
 
7:00pm Christmas Eve mass was great! We nailed ***Carol of the Bells ***in 4 parts with a choir of 10. We also did a good job on Matt Maher’s ***Silent Night /Emmanuel ***and rocked the house with Chris Tomlin’s Joy to the World/Unspeakable Joy as a closer. Attendance was sky high.
 
I thought of doing songs like Sing a New Song, Christ Be Our Light and City of God for Entrance or closing on Saturday and Sunday at our church, (all were suggested and fit very well with the gospel reading) but of course, regular Christmas carols were suggested at liturgy.com too. What is the cut off for Christmas carols, in your opinion? I certainly could do a mixture of both this weekend. The argument I get from some members would be, We do Sing a New Song, Christ Be Our Light and City of God all year, we should stick to carols for one more weekend, and other members say, Awww, we’ve sung most of the carols already, and Christmas is over anyway. Let’s move on.
I just want a good balance , kwIm? I’d like the different types of songs to fit in with a good flow.

We will do We Three Kings, though, that’s a given. I chose it for the offertory song because it reflects the gospel reading. Our pastor might ask me why I didn’t choose it for an entrance, and I just think an entrance song should be about- a. gathering b. singing c. praising God or d. all of these. We Three Kings to me belongs in the middle. We could do a carols like Joy To The World, or a hymn like Sing a New Song, I just haven’t made up my mind. Oh the decisions! And Father will be like, Stop worrying, it’s just a mass, you’ll sound fine. lol
 
itsmaura said:
I thought of doing songs like Sing a New Song, Christ Be Our Light and City of God for Entrance or closing on Saturday and Sunday at our church, (all were suggested and fit very well with the gospel reading) but of course, regular Christmas carols were suggested at liturgy.com too. What is the cut off for Christmas carols, in your opinion? I certainly could do a mixture of both this weekend. The argument I get from some members would be, We do Sing a New Song, Christ Be Our Light and City of God all year, we should stick to carols for one more weekend, and other members say, Awww, we’ve sung most of the carols already, and Christmas is over anyway. Let’s move on.
I just want a good balance , kwIm? I’d like the different types of songs to fit in with a good flow.

We will do We Three Kings, though, that’s a given. I chose it for the offertory song because it reflects the gospel reading. Our pastor might ask me why I didn’t choose it for an entrance, and I just think an entrance song should be about- a. gathering b. singing c. praising God or d. all of these. We Three Kings to me belongs in the middle. We could do a carols like Joy To The World, or a hymn like Sing a New Song, I just haven’t made up my mind. Oh the decisions! And Father will be like, Stop worrying, it’s just a mass, you’ll sound fine. lol
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I believe that the OCP selections should wait until after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (which is Sunday, January 9, 2011). The Christmas season in the Catholic Church does not end until that Sunday, and most people believe that it ends on Epiphany Sunday.

We Three Kings I believe is a definate must for Epiphany. It suits the Gospel very well and it seems like every Christian the world over would know this hymn. I too think it fits perfectly at the Preparation of the Gifts. I never thought it as a processional-style hymn.

For the Epiphany, this is what I suggest:

Processional: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (This works very well because we are still in the Christmas season)
Preparation of the Gifts: We Three Kings (Perfect per the Gospel)
Communion: The First Noel (In verses 3-5, the Star of Bethlehem and the Wise Men are mentioned.)
Recessional: As With Gladness Men of Old (Mentions the gladness the Christ Child brings to those who awaited him, and mentions the Wise Men)

Some others you could do are “What Star Is This”. This hymn basically tells the story of the Wise Men. Another you could do is “What Child Is This”. It describes the Wise Men as well.

For the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, January 9, 2011, the end of the Christmas season; Christmas carols are still very appropriate.

Suggestions:

Any Christmas carols would be suitable for this Sunday. It would be nice to get in the ones you haven’t been able to get in on Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Family, or Epiphany.

Some hymns about the Baptism of Christ: “When Jesus Comes to Be Baptized”, and “On Jordan’s Bank, the Baptist’s Cry”.

One hymn that is sort of a “must” for this Sunday is “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”. It sums up the three manifestations of Christ: Christ born in Bethlehem, Christ revealed to the Magi, and Christ revealed at Jordan’s stream at his baptism.

Again, the Christmas season does not end until Sunday, January 9, 2011. Christmas carols are still appropriate and should be used.
 
Suggestions for next weekend:

Sunday, January 9, 2011 - Feast of the Baptism of the Lord - Year A

Processional Hymn: #106 Angels, From the Realms of Glory REGENT SQUARE
Preparation of the Gifts: #109 What Star Is This PUER NOBIS
Communion Hymn: #85 Of the Father’s Love Begotten DIVINUM MYSTERIUM
Recessional Hymn: #108 Songs of Thankfulness and Praise SALZBURG
 
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